translation

play

noun trans·la·tion \ tran(t)s-ˈlā-shən , tranz- \

Definition of translation

1 :an act, process, or instance of translating: such as

a :a rendering from one language into another; also :the product of such a rendering

b :a change to a different substance, form, or appearance :conversion

c (1) :a transformation of coordinates in which the new axes are parallel to the old ones

(2) :uniform motion of a body in a straight line

2 :the process of forming a protein molecule at a ribosomal site of protein synthesis from information contained in messenger RNA — compare transcription 3

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translational

play \-shnəl, -shə-nᵊl\ adjective

See translation defined for English-language learners

See translation defined for kids

Examples of translation in a Sentence

She is working on a translation of the novel.
a new translation of the Iliad
There were English translations on the menu.
the translation of economic power into political strength

Recent Examples of translation from the Web

This formed the basis of his highly readable and often soaringly poetic translation into English, which takes into account the latest Zohar scholarship.

— arthur green, The Atlantic, "Restoring Kabbalah to Mainstream Judaism," 25 Aug. 2017
Since then, more than 1,000 copies (featuring an Arabic translation) have been donated to Syrian refugee children in Turkey.

— elizabeth marie himchak, Rancho Bernardo, "Child author to read her book in Rancho Bernardo on Saturday," 24 Aug. 2017
BGR says someone leaked an iPhone 8 presentation on the Chinese microblogging site Weibo, and translations hint at a Sept. 12 announcement date, with preorders starting the 15th.

— marissa miller, Teen Vogue, "iPhone 8 Has Rumored Release Date," 24 Aug. 2017
Translation: Iraq is wary of letting international investigators pry into crimes on its territory, which could potentially implicate its own forces or allies.

— somini sengupta, New York Times, "For a Yazidi Woman, Justice for ISIS Crimes Is Still Elusive," 17 Aug. 2017
Access to language and translation services was identified last year as a major barrier for Latino residents working to integrate into Tacoma life, council members pointed out.

— candice ruud, The Seattle Times, "Tacoma urged to support fight against deportations," 12 Aug. 2017
So was something lost in translation, or was there an intentional snub?

— leanna commins, Cosmopolitan, "Did Japan's First Lady Really Avoid Conversation With President Trump By Pretending Not To Speak English?," 21 July 2017
No translation is needed for Chanel, Louis Vuitton and the like.

— jenny b. davis, star-telegram, "From shimmering sand dunes to glimmering skyscrapers, everything blings in Dubai," 17 July 2017
As well as strong skills in maths, the country has a tradition in language and translation research, says Harry Shum, who leads Microsoft’s AI efforts.

— The Economist, "The algorithm kingdomChina may match or beat America in AI," 15 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'translation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of translation

14th century

translation Synonyms

Synonyms

rephrasing, restatement, restating, rewording, translating, paraphrase

Antonyms

quotation, quote

Related Words

rehash; abstract, recap, recapitulation, reiteration, summary

Near Antonyms

copy, transcript, transcription

Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms

ablaut, allusion, anacoluthon, diacritic, gerund, idiom, infinitive, metaphor, semiotics, simile

TRANSLATION Defined for English Language Learners

translation

play

noun

Definition of translation for English Language Learners

: words that have been changed from one language into a different language : words that have been translated
: the act or process of translating something into a different language
: the act or process of changing something from one form to another

TRANSLATION Defined for Kids

translation

play

noun trans·la·tion \ trans-ˈlā-shən \

Definition of translation for Students

:the act, process, or result of changing from one form or language into another

Medical Dictionary

translation

play

noun trans·la·tion \ tran(t)s-ˈlā-shən, tranz- \

medical Definition of translation

:the process of forming a protein molecule at a ribosomal site of protein synthesis from information contained in messenger RNA — compare transcription

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